Punishment
by 666TheWitch666
Summary: Ryou's been defiant again. How can a malignant spirit possibly force his host to obey him? Breaking his spirit might help.
1. Chapter 1

Soooo. I had to. Short fic, very, um, cliffhanger-ey? it's a Ryou punishment fic. Don't like, don't read. No blood, no gore… thus far.

I know I was supposed to be working on a Witchcraft sequel… buuuuut… this just sort of happened. Somehow… mysteeeeeriously. *Cough* Yaoi *Cough*

* * *

"Yugi?"

"What is it, Ryou?"

"… Don't, uh… It would be best if you didn't, I mean to say, that is…"

"Are you trying to tell me not to be your friend again, Ryou-kun? 'Cause I told you before, it doesn't work like that." Yugi smiled, that light, easy, trust anyone smile.

"No, I'm afraid its more specific… I just have an urgent… something came up so, tonight… that Halloween thing we were going to do, I can't make it. Sorry." Ryou tried to smile. He was doing the right thing, after all, no matter what the eerily silent voice in his head thought. Still, his mouth couldn't help but twist down at the edges. He still had a scar on his left hand, reminiscent of the first time he'd defied his… darker self.

"But Ryou-kun, you were so excited! We were going to dress up and watch scary movies! And Candy! It was your idea." Yugi pouted.

It was hard to resist giving in when Yugi did that. One of the risks inherent with having a baby panda for a best friend. Still, this was for Yugi's own good.

"I really can't, but I'll make it up to you, I promise!" Ryou looked as re-assuring as he could manage. "You still have Tristan and Joey and Tea, you'll have a great time."

Yugi sighed. "Fine, but next time…"

"Yes, Yugi, next time, I promise."

Concentrating on his classes was a complete loss for the rest of the day. Ryou couldn't ignore the nagging lack of death threats. Bakura, he'd had plans for tonight, another attempt to destroy Yugi completely, take his puzzle, and probably kill his friends. He didn't like when Ryou got in the way of his schemes.

Bakura was thinking; Ryou could feel the twisting dark foreboding at the edges of his mind that, as far as he could tell, meant his Darkness was turning some plan or plot over and over, working out the best way to deal with a situation.

That meant one of two things. Either he was going to go through with his plans for Yugi tonight anyway, or he was thinking up some extravagant punishment for Ryou's indiscretion. Ryou was inclined think the latter. His Yami rarely leaped into any situation without knowing exactly how it would go, calculating the risks, finding them in his favour. Ryou had thrown the proverbial wrench into a plot that Bakura had been very excited about.

Ryou was, perhaps, more reluctant than ever before to open his apartment door, enter, and seal himself alone with the worst part of his existence. He knew better than to try to get rid of the ring. He still had the scars on his chest from that attempt. He could go somewhere public for a while, like the mall, but he might run into someone he knew, then Yugi would want to know why Ryou was ignoring him, which would lead to awkward questions and, horror of horrors, Yugi discovering that Ryou was still at the mercy of Bakura.

He couldn't let that happen. If Yugi knew that Ryou might loose control at any moment and become a soul stealing psychopath… well, that didn't really contribute to a healthy, open friendship.

Ryou breathed deeply, his hand on the doorknob. He had to go in. Another breath, in…

And out.

Ryou opened his door, and as usual, went straight to the lamp on the table of his small sitting room. He flicked it on, illuminating the apartment with a dim orange glow. The ceiling light had broken weeks ago.

He stood straight, looking at nothing, just waiting with baited breath, and hoping that he was just being paranoid.

The sound of his apartment door slowly clicking shut, and the metallic rattle and slide of the bolt, froze his blood. Afraid to look, his eyes still slid to the door of their own accord, his head following their lead reluctantly.

Ryou's jaw dropped, and he fell back a step. Every hair on his body felt like it was standing straight up, and the chill of fear raced up his spine.

Standing next to the door, with his finger still resting on the bolt was… himself. Perfectly solid, undeniably there, it was him… but not him. Ryou knew his own reflection, and this very real refection's eyes were all wrong, too angled and cold. If Ryou's hair looked like snow, other man's hair was the sharp edges of ice so cold it would freeze anything that touched it solid.

This must be his darker half, in the flesh, so to speak. Ryou backed away another step. The expression on Bakura's face was… unhappy. Disappointed, even, but only marginally.

"You know, I was really at a loss." Bakura said conversationally, leaning back against the door.

"What punishment can I create, what action, could possibly be terrible enough to inspire such fear in you that you would never dare to defy me again?" Bakura put his hands in his back pockets, looking at Ryou like he was some puzzle, some game, that needed merely to be beaten.

Ryou swallowed, his heart racing in his chest, skin tingling and pulling all over, a lump of panic struggling to escape from somewhere in his stomach. His body was in that moment of extreme awareness between fight or flight, when neither was possible.

"I think I've figured it out, though. How to own you completely, I mean. I don't think you're going to like it, but really, that's all the more reason, for me." Bakura raised an eyebrow. He drew himself up to full height, abandoning the relaxed posture for one of power. He was visibly taller than Ryou.

"Take off your clothes." The spirit said simply.

Ryou's heart stopped for a moment, and his mind ground to a halt.

"W-what?" Ryou asked stupidly.

"Oh, you do have a voice. I was starting to wonder. I said take off your clothes, you weak, useless stupid little excuse for a landlord." Bakura took a step forward, forcing Ryou to retreat, marking him further as the weak one, the prey.

"I-I don't understand…" Ryou mumbled, anything, any way to get out of this situation, to be anywhere else but here, he'd jump at it gladly. This wasn't happening, this wasn't what is seemed like. Ryou continued to drift back, keeping a constant distance between himself an the threat.

"Take. Them. Off. Nothing complicated there. Just follow orders."

Ryou shook his head mutely, just as his back hit a wall. The panic surged up, choking him, forcing him to look from side to side, to cower. He was cornered. Bakura continued to advance, his pace unchanging.

"If you won't, I'll do it for you." Bakura was close, now, uncomfortably close. Ryou shook uncontrollably, but the thought of Bakura forcibly stripping him… It was too much.

Ryou slid his shirt over his head. The bare skin was covered in goosebumps in the faint chill of the room. His nipples were two pink raisins on his chest.

"Keep going."

Ryou shook his head, no, his cheeks flaming. He couldn't stand the impassive way he was being looked at, judged. It took him a moment to notice that Bakura's shirt was gone now, too. He couldn't help but compare the difference, his own slender shapeless frame, his ribs, hips, shoulders showing bony beneath his skin. The other him was thin too, but that thinness was outlined in corded muscle, without a spare gram of unused weight.

Ryou was suddenly very much aware of what would happen if his own pants came off. Bakura's would too. He was spared the choice when Bakura reached forward, across the small distance between them, toward the button on the front of Ryou's trousers.

He tried to twist away along the wall, but Bakura's hand slammed to the plaster inches from Ryou's face.

Carefully looking anywhere but at Bakura, Ryou wiggled out of his pants on his own, standing exposed in his boxers in front of a monster more terrifying than any he'd seen in scary movies. A monster that he knew, without looking, was also wearing nothing but boxers. Blue ones. With spots.

"You really are pathetic, just look at you. You're a skeleton tied together with some twine. I don't mind, though. It makes you easier to break. You know what excites me?" Bakura pressed himself closer to Ryou, his face inches from Ryou's flushed cheek. A stiff bulge in Bakura's blue, spotted shorts pressed against Ryous thigh.

"Fear."

If Ryou could have wiggled backward through the wall, he would have.

"No, no you c-can't, please just, just let go, I'll never go against you again just please don't…" Ryou had started to cry, twin rivers of terror trickling down his cheeks.

"You're right." Bakura mused, as he ripped Ryou's boxer shorts off, and flipped the boy around, pressing his face to the wall.

"You won't."

* * *

Soooo… do I continue? Yeah, its pretty classic in content, I just had to write one. None of the BakuraXRyou fics I've read this far had exactly what I had in mind, there was always either too much eventual fluff, too many other pairings going on, or too much ooc. So here's mine. Wheeeeee!


	2. Chapter 2

Ok, quick warning, this chapter is…. Well, if you don't like, don't read, that's all I'm gonna say.

For those still interested, reviewing makes me a very happy person. For real, reviews make me want to keep writing. I also appreciate constructive feedback. Like where something is going? Something you want to see? Let me know, and maybe I'll work it in there.

* * *

"No, no you c-can't, please just, just let go, I'll never go against you again just please don't…" Ryou started to cry, twin rivers of terror trickling down his cheeks.

"You're right." Bakura mused, as he ripped Ryou's boxer shorts off, and flipped the boy around, pressing his face to the wall.

"You won't."

Incoherent, animal noises of pure terror slid uncontrollably from Ryou's mouth, cut short by a sharp scream as Bakura slammed into him. The sadist didn't bother to prepare Ryou, he wanted it to hurt, and hurt a lot. The blood came, Bakura driving in and out to make it gush, that and Ryou's cries of terror and pain, mumbled half-pleas and begging, just to please, please make it stop, doing more to stoke Bakura's lust than any big-breasted bitch he'd ever shared a bed with. Fear bled across their linked minds, and the darkness drank it in, grew stronger with it. Bakura grabbed a fistful of Ryou's hair and yanked it back, adding a sharp wail to the sounds that were fading in defeat.

"You are nothing but mine, nothing to them, weak and cowardly. Look at you, look at this. Did you even once try to fight back? You didn't, did you. Did you want me to do this, huh? You knew from the start where this was going." Bakura whispered into Ryou's ear, even as he quickened his pace.

Ryou tried to shake his head, to deny, to say that he'd been too terrified, and how could he hope to win? He'd have just been punished worse. He couldn't, though. His throat wouldn't let him.

"You're filthy for not fighting me, your snow-white is spattered in blood, dripping with it, you- ah!"

Bakura groaned, sinking his teeth into Ryou's shoulder, teeth that were sharpened to points. He clenched his jaw as he spent the passion of his malice, starting a second stream of blood down Ryou's back.

Bakura stepped back, shoving Ryou forcefully to the carpet. The boy landed in a heap. The dark spirit turned his back dismissively.

"You are my landlord, but I am your master. Do you understand? " Bakura asked the quivering mess on the floor.

Ryou was silent, save for the sobs that shook his shoulders. His hair hid his face, the rest of him curled inward, an involuntary reaction to his desire to hide, to disappear.

"I asked you a direct question. Do you understand?" Bakura kicked Ryou, catching his liver with the flat of his foot.

Ryou gasped, then nodded hopelessly. "Yes…"

"Defy me again, and we'll play a little game. I win, this happens, ok? If you win… We'll cross that bridge when we don't come to it." Bakura grinned.

"By the way, you're still going to school on Monday, and you will make good and sure that no one suspects anything. Are we perfectly clear?"

Ryou nodded again. It was a good hour that he stayed on that floor, afraid to look up, perfectly willing to stay there until Monday. It was a powerful urge to shower that finally overrode his desire to just die curled up on the floor. He climbed to his knees, looking around carefully for any sign of the Ring's spirit. Seeing nothing, he stumbled to the bathroom, locked himself in, turned the water on hot, and just sat on the floor of the tub, watching the blood run down the drain.

* * *

The phone was ringing. Ryou opened his eyes groggily, focusing slowly on the phone beside his bed. He didn't really remember going to bed, or getting out of the shower, for that matter.

"Answer it." The voice in his head prompted. Ryou gasped, and looked wildly about, drawing the clean white sheets around himself protectively. Seeing no-one, he made a mad scramble to grab the phone and answer it. In the process, he'd accidentally sat up. The pain shot through him like lightning, and his mouth dropped open, a silent scream unable to pass his lips.

"Um, Ryou, are you there? Its Yugi… Ryou?"

"Y-yes, I'm he-here" Ryou forced the words out as he settled himself into a less agonising position.

"We missed you last night, Ringu was the creepiest one yet, I think. It was about this girl and a videotape… anyway, are you ok, you sound a little off. Did you want to come over today? Grandpa's got some new Duel Monsters booster packs, and a new box of those figurine kits you like came in."

"No, no Yugi that's quite alright. I'm not feeling well, and besides, I um… I don't have those figurines anymore. Not after…" Ryou vividly recalled smashing anything remotely related to his figurine collection.

"oh, right. I should have thought… I'm really sorry, Ryou. So you're not feeling well? What is it, a flu? You think you'll be at school Monday?" Yugi sounded concerned.

"Yes, I should be perfectly well by then. I wouldn't want to miss that test." Which I'll probably fail now. No way I can study.

"You contagious?" Yugi continued.

"No, I don't think so…" Ryou said.

"Oh, ok, that's good. Feel better soon, Ryou!" Yugi seemed back to his overly cheerful self.

"I will, I'll see you Monday."

"Or sooner!"

"Wait, what?" But the line was dead.

* * *

It was an hour before the not entirely unexpected knock on the door.

"Hey, Ryou, its us, and we brought you a get well kit!" Yugi enthused through the door.

Ryou groaned; he'd had so much trouble getting a pair of pants on, that he'd settled for pjs. He as supposed to be sick, after all. Still, he now had to make the long trek from his couch, where he'd been gingerly laying down, to his door, which was locked.

"Make them suspect nothing." His dark ordered.

Ryou carefully crossed the room, a throw blanket over his shoulders. He'd learned earlier what sudden movements would do. He didn't think he could pass that kind of bleeding off as a common cold. His explanation for the blood on the floor, and the wall, was a nosebleed. Weak at best, but it was the best he could come up with, and he wasn't about to get down on his hands and knees to scrub.

"Hey, Ryou! You look like shit." Joey said pleasantly, waiting for no invitation to barge into the room wielding a grocery bag.

Yugi followed, with Tristan and Tea.

"We brought soup, tea, stuff for a sick stomach, and a bunch of other things." Yugi said brightly.

"We had to, Yugi didn't think to ask what was wrong with you, so we just pretty much cleaned out the drugstore." Tristan explained.

"Any painkillers?" Ryou asked hopefully.

"Yup." Tea pulled some out of a bag. Extra strength.

"Better give me three." Ryou winced. "For now."

"Are you in pain, Ryou? Maybe you should go to the hospital?" Tea said with concern, filling a glass of water for Ryou do drink with the pills.

"No, no!" He said a bit too fast, and forcefully. There were a few raised eyebrows.

"I mean, its nothing a day or two of rest won't take care of." Ryou explained. Or a month, he thought to himself.

"There's something off about you today." Joey commented, giving Ryou a searching look. Yugi and he shared a glance. Most people considered the two of them to be more than a bit naive, but one didn't play duel monsters well without being able to read people. Yugi and Joey, they could tell when someone was hiding something. They just pretended they didn't.

Ryou didn't answer. Tristan sat one the couch, and Yugi sat with him. Ryou stood awkwardly to the side. He really didn't want to sit up properly on a couch right now.

"Ryou, what happened?" Joey asked with concern, after Tea handed Ryou the pills and water.

Ryou almost choked, managing to swallow without spraying water everywhere.

"Wh-what do you mean?" Rou stammered.

Joey stared hard at the blood on the wall and carpet, then looked at Ryou searchingly.

"Oh, that. It was a nosebleed. My… um, my nose was bleeding." Ryou said, his gaze averted.

"That so?" Joey asked, getting forceful. Ryou cringed.

"Joey, that's enough. Ryou had a nosebleed." Yugi said pointedly.

"But…" Joey protested, but stopped.

"I'll make some soup." Tea said, to break the silence. She busied herself in the kitchen, getting out the pots and pans as if she owned the place.

"Ok." Ryou said. He was still standing, and it was starting to look strange.

"Ryou, you're sick. Why don't you take the fluffy chair? Or we can move, and you can have the couch." Yugi said, jumping up and rushing to Ryou's side. He pulled Ryou to the chair by the hand, but stopped when he saw the look Ryou was giving said chair. It was like he was steeling himself against a mighty opponent.

"Erm, couch it is." Yugi deflected.

Ryou gulped. How could he possibly sit down without looking like he was on live coals? He had to go for it. They were all looking at him, even Tea while she stirred, though she was pretending not to.

He settled himself down as horizontally as possible, while trying to keep his face completely blank. He couldn't stop a short spasm of pain, however.

Yugi's face showed nothing but compassion, but Joey… his expression darkened, anger lurking behind it.

Ryou looked down guiltily.

"Ok, I can't do this anymore. Ryou, who was it?" Joey demanded. Tristan, sitting on the arm of the couch, finally clued in, and his face quickly matched Joey's.

Ryou's face paled. Well, more than was usual.

"Wha…wh…" He stammered.

"Who beat you up? We'll make sure they never come after you again, Ryou. That's what friends do." Tristan said, adopting his noble, hero of the day pose.

"Oh, guys its not like, I mean, I can handle this myself." This could be very good or very bad. They'd come up with a plausible excuse for Ryou's condition, but at the same time, Ryou has no one he could blame, and besides, he wouldn't falsely accuse anyone anyway.

"Does this have anything to do with you're urgent something that came up yesterday?" Yugi asked carefully.

"No, that was, that had nothing to do with…" Ryou protested, but his face told a different story.

Tea silently brought a bowl of soup to Ryou, passing it to him with a spoon.

"You know, we're you're friends, Ryou. You can trust us, because friends trust each other, and if we don't have friendship, what do we have? Friends are important. Frieeeendshiiiip." Tea said, ending on a somewhat creepy note.

"She's right, Ryou." Yugi said, getting into the friendship spirit.

Ryou smiled and nodded. "I know, guys. Believe me, I would tell you everything if I could, but, as a friend,

can't you just trust me on this?" Ryou asked, carefully lifting a spoonful of soup to his lips. His throw blanket had the unfortunate timing to, at that moment, slide down, otherwise he might have made a very convincing argument. As it was, his loose top worn only to bed did nothing to hide the obviously deep and painful bite on his shoulder, and the bruise marks on his arms that were clearly made by the hands of someone standing behind him. The shocked silence opened Ryou up to his mistake.

"Ryou. Tell me this is not what I think this is." Joeys voice was clear, deliberate, when he spoke. The bruises, the bite added up in his mind to the way Ryou had been moving so painfully, the increased fearfulness, to equal something he sincerely hoped he was wrong about. He'd seen things, bad things that happened to some kids; he watched the news, too.

Everyone saw the look of vulnerability, shame, embarrassment, and everyone saw that expression change to fear, even terror. No one heard the voice that Ryou did, however.

"I think this counts as someone suspecting something, Landlord. I really had thought you wouldn't fail me this soon."

The cackling laughter was silent to everyone else as well.

* * *

Ohho, whats all this then? Whats gonna happen to Ryou? Only safe bet…. He's not going to like it much. Poor guy, he tried so hard, too.


	3. Chapter 3

So, I've gone with more season 0 influence for a lot of this, because, well, that's what I watched most recently. I know I'd just get confused if I called them by their Japanese names, though. In homage to that superior season, everyone but Tea had to get the crap beaten out of them at least once. You have been warned. Oh, and no card games. Ugh. You know, in s. 0, duel monsters is only a Minor influence! They play…. Wait for it…. OTHER GAMES! OMFGHOLYCRAPCHEESEBURGER…

* * *

"Ryou. Tell me this is not what I think this is." Joeys voice was clear, deliberate, when he spoke. The bruises, the bite added up in his mind to the way Ryou had been moving so painfully, the increased fearfulness, to equal something he sincerely hoped he was wrong about. He'd seen things, bad things that happened to some kids; he watched the news, too.

Everyone saw the look of vulnerability, shame, embarrassment, and everyone saw that expression change abruptly to fear, even terror. No one heard the voice that Ryou did, however.

"I think this counts as someone suspecting something, Landlord. I really had thought you wouldn't fail me this soon."

The cackling laughter was silent to everyone else as well.

"I'm going to take this from here. They can't be allowed to discover my continued existence, I need them oblivious, complacent. So, here's what you are going to do. You're going to cover your face with your hands. That will hide the moment I take control. Then you will sleep."

Ryou couldn't look his friends in the eye. It seemed the most natural thing now would be to hide from them. Was he really going to just let Bakura have free reign here? What would he do? More importantly, and Ryou's stomach turned sickeningly, what would Bakura do if Ryou didn't obey? He covered his face in his hands, his look of genuine despair making the action completely believable. Then he was floating, lost in his own mind.

…

"Man, come on, talk to us. We want to help you." Joey encouraged, though his lips were a thin line. "Ryou" lifted his eyes from his hands, tears still wetting his cheeks.

"I know you want to help, but… but… There's nothing you can do, ok?" Bakura rose quickly, and rushed to his host's room, keeping his posture low, defeated. Once inside, he changed into Ryou's normal clothes, paying no mind to any pain this caused. He took a folded wad of money from a drawer, and pocketed it. Then he was back out, and out the door of the apartment.

"Ryou!" Yugi cried, rushing after him. Good, they didn't suspect anything. Now it was up to them to do what he knew they would.

He took the elevator down rather than the stairs; no point going through any more pain than was necessary. He'd have to be more careful, after all, he had to use this body too.

Bakura headed off down the street, careful to look furtive and ashamed, looking around overly obviously. He pretended not to notice the group following him, and doing a rather horrible job of it. Really, did Joey really think the top of his yellow hair mound was hidden?

The Ring Spirit knew exactly where he would go; he'd done plenty of night-time exploring in Ryou's body, and in all the right places. He found a seedy looking bar in a back ally, acting oblivious to the people following him. He nodded to the doorman/bouncer.

"The people following me… see that they don't get in." Bakura whispered in passing, his eyes flaring with their usual hatred and rage. This man knew him enough to know that bad things happened to people who defied him.

Inside the place was dim, low, dirty, and choked with cigarette smoke. More than a few patrons were obviously users, some Heroin, some Cocaine. Bakura found a big guy quickly, a man with wild eyes and obvious signs of addiction. He hadn't wasted away yet, either. He was solid muscle. Perfect. Bakura flashed the money he'd borrowed from Ryou, with no intention of returning, of course.

"You can have this, if you agree to follow my instructions very carefully." Bakura leaned on the wall, watching the man's mind work out just how much of his poison he could buy with that much money.

"I'm listening."

…

"Hey, what'd'ya mead we can't go in?" Joey shouted at the resolute doorman.

"Did I stutter, punk?" The man says bluntly.

"Come on, our friends in there! He might be in trouble! You let _him _in." Yugi plead, using every ounce of his baby-panda cuteness. It didn't effect enemy doorman!

Tristan and Joey stood shoulder to shoulder. "Let us in, right now!" Tristan said with a threat in his tone.

"Yeah, before we stop playin nice!" Joey added, just in case their meaning wasn't already clear.

Yugi and Tea fell to the back, edging toward an adjacent ally. When fighting happened, they found it wiser to remain as unobtrusive as possible.

"Why did we spend so much time waiting and watching, if they were just going to do this? I thought they had a plan." Tea asked Yugi.

"I'm thinking this is their plan. Hey, why don't we look for a back door, while that guy's distracted?" Yugi suggested. Further away from the violence, yeah, that seemed a good idea.

Muscles bunched on the guard. Both sides bristled, sizing each other up. The whole situation would likely explode at any moment.

Yugi and Tea rounded the corner, to find that there was indeed another door. It was simple, metal, with no knob or handle. They hung back, listening for the fight that might break out at any moment. "Tea, I should go help the guys. I feel like I'm running away."

"Yugi, Think about what you're saying. In a fight, you'd probably just trip someone. No offence." Tea muttered distractedly. They expected to hear a commotion from the main entrance. The did not, therefore, expect the back door to suddenly fly open, ejecting Ryou with force.

Ryou hit the ground hard on his back, and yelped loudly in pain. "Ryou!" Yugi started to run forward, but stopped and, furthermore, took a step back when he saw the man who was coming out the door after Ryou.

This guy was huge. At least seven feet tall and built like a lumberjack, he had to duck to get through the door.

Yugi stammered, frozen.

The big man knelt down, and grabbed Ryou by both wrists in one ham-sized fist. He lifted the Ryou clear off the ground, and slammed him into the dirty concrete wall of the ally, level with his lofty eyes.

Yugi unfroze all at once. His friend was in danger! "Hey, let him go!" Yugi shouted, throwing himself at the giant. He punched, kicked, scratched, and tried any other of a number of methods to get the meat mountain to let Ryou down. The big man… didn't notice. At all. He seemed to think he and Ryou were still alone in the ally.

"I told you, didn't I? You only come here when we got plans. I ain't got time to fuck you up right now, but it'll be twice this next time!" The giant growled in a low baritone.

"I- I'm sorry, but… you have… have to stop this, my friends, they're on to you now, you can't hurt them because they expect you and… and you have to leave me alone. I can't do this anymore!" Ryou sobbed, hanging limply.

Tea listened mutely, memorising everything. So this was what Joey suspected! That Ryou's been… and he's been doing this to protect us! The friendship solidarity welled up, and almost made her miss what was going on.

"No deal, how do I know you Aint lying? Anyway, what sort of fight could those friends put up?" The giant said cruelly, smacking Ryou with his free hand, causing the boy's body to swing limply.

The giant shifted his weight, and noticed it was harder to move his left foot then his right one. He looked down. There was a starfish on his leg. Wait, no, it was a kid! How long had he been there? Well, there were supposed to be witnesses. The man kicked his leg, sending Yugi flying to the end of the ally. There was a shout; two more witnesses? Perfect.

"They could… call the police. I should have…" Ryou protested.

"You just try it, and we see how many bones I can break before they get here." The giant started smacking Ryou back and forth, the flesh starting to bruise already. Ryou's back was being scraped raw by the wall. Joey and Tristan skidded around the corner, both looking a bit worse for wear. They stopped, slack-jawed for a moment, when the saw what was going on. Then both came in swinging.

One sweep of the giant's arm, and they were on their asses. Their only achievement; Ryou wasn't being hit anymore. The big man dropped him to the ground, finally acknowledging the people trying to cause him harm. He glowered. He was allowed to kill one of these two; his money wouldn't be cut.

He took hold of both their heads with a speed that shocked them, and slammed them together. Joey and Tristan were out cold.

The giant put one foot on Tristan's chest, and started to apply weight. He liked to hear when the ribs popped.

"Stop this!" A commanding voice rang out.

The giant didn't know why, but he did stop. The world had become a purple haze. Striding toward him was the starfish, but he was… somehow more threatening. A tiny bit taller, yet, he radiated power.

"I usually give people like you a last chance. I offer them a chance to redeem themselves. I challenge them to a game. You, however…" Yami's eyes narrowed with loathing.

"You don't deserve to be judged. What you've done to Ryou is inexcusable, and for that, for losing at the game of simple human morality, I inflict a penalty game!"

The Giant was shrinking, he was becoming smaller and smaller, and faces rose above his in a distorted, horrible way. His strength withered, a giant nightmare of a face framed my a storm cloud of red and black, shot through with bolts of lightning, and all he'd done, all he'd done… was what he'd been paid to do. His last fractured thought, before the sole of a massive boot crushed him, was simply 'This time, this time I'm innocent!'

Tea took this opportunity to call an ambulance. "Yes, 911? Um, We just got attacked, some of my friends are unconscious, the guy who came after us just had some sort of mental breakdown, um, we need ambulances. How many injured? Um, um, counting the bad guy? Four, I think. No, maybe five. Yugi got kicked. Um, we're at…" Tea read the street name she could see in the distance, at the end of the ally, where normal people went about their normal lives.

Yami poked the cowering pile of flesh with his toe. "Filth.."

Yugi blinked to awareness a moment later. He looked… unhappy. " This doesn't feel right." He mumbled, looking with pity at the man who'd been hurting them moments before.

* * *

So yeah, I warned you. Much with the hitting of the body parts. Heck, they were hitting people with other people! and Bakura's happily created a sound explanation, with no-one left to contradict his story. Yes Yami, you did make an oopsie. Deep down Yugi knows it, too.

Remember, reviews make me smile really big, wave my arms around excitedly, and perhaps even squee. Yes, you heard me. I may fangirl Squeee for reviews.


	4. Chapter 4

Yeah, that's right, I'm still here. I've been watching Anime and playing WoW. It stole my creative time. A conversation got me thinking, and thinking created… this. Have fun, guys! Oh, I am so mean to Ryou…

a big thanks to everyone who reviewed, and keep in mind, reviews make me want to update. so... if you want me to update, you better review, you hear? yeah, that didn't come of as pushy. Not-at-allll

* * *

"Yes, 911? Um, We just got attacked, some of my friends are unconscious, the guy who came after us just had some sort of mental breakdown, um, we need ambulances. How many injured? Um, um, counting the bad guy? Four, I think. No, maybe five. Yugi got kicked. Um, we're at…" Tea read the street name she could see in the distance, at the end of the ally, where normal people went about their normal lives.

Yami poked the cowering pile of flesh with his toe. "Filth.."

Yugi blinked to awareness a moment later. He looked… unhappy. " This doesn't feel right." He mumbled, looking with pity at the man who'd been hurting them moments before.

* * *

"hmnnn… ow?" Ryou mumbled, his eyes closed against a bright white light. Every part of him hurt; he'd never been in so much pain. Why did everything hurt? He though back, trying to piece things together. The last thing he could think of was… the living room. He'd surrendered his body willingly to his possessing spirit for the first time. It seemed they'd been run over by a bus or something, or maybe fallen off a building, possibly run into by an entire team of Rugby players. Ryou tried to open his eyes, but couldn't. Both were swollen shut.

"Oh, Ryou! You're awake!" It sounded like Yugi was here.

"Mmmm" Ryou mumbled.

"You had us pretty worried, we thought… you looked almost dead for a bit there." Joey said, stifled emotion constricting in his throat.

Ryou remained silent. It was obvious that he was supposed to know what was going on.

"So… are you going to tell us what happened there, Ryou? 'Cause we all know what it looked like." Joey pressed, anger seeping into his voice this time.

"What did it look like?" Ryou asked weakly. Safe enough question.

"It looked like that guy's been giving you trouble for a while. You know we can handle ourselves, Ryou. You can't let people hurt you because you think you're protecting us." Tristan was here too, then.

"Oh…" That guy? Do they mean Bakura? Or has he come up with some other story, one that involved my body and a wrecking ball?

"I don't really… remember it that well…" Ryou volunteered. That was understandable, right? He'd just been through a traumatic experience.

"The guy that's been… hurting you, he was really mad when you went to that bar, he just, we tried to stop him, but he was huge!" Yugi said, pleading forgiveness.

"What… what happened to him?" Ryou asked.

"Oh… Yami did something, I don't know what, but the guys in the mental ward, shaking and cowering from anyone who gets close to him." Yugi watched Ryou's reaction carefully.

Ryou swallowed, and placed one hand on his Millennium Ring. The doctors had been unable to remove it from him.

"He won't hurt you ever again, Ryou." Tea assured. They were all here, showing support, and here Ryou was, lying to them. Tea didn't know what she was taking about. Some random guy was upstairs suffering, and the one who would hurt Ryou again and again and again was in the room with them, seeing but unseen.

"I see he's woken up. Does it hurt, dear?" An unfamiliar voice, probably a nurse, asked.

Ryou nodded meekly.

"I'll increase your dose of pain medication, but only this once, ok?"

"Thank you." Ryou tried to smile at her, but that hurt too much, and besides, he didn't even know where she was.

A wave of comfort overtook him a moment later, and he drifted off back to sleep.

* * *

"G'night, Ryou! Remember what the doctor said, we'll be stopping by to check in on you in the morning. You shouldn't be alone for too long." Joey said from Ryou's apartment door.

"I'll bring you the homework you miss!" Yugi offers happily. Anything to help, right?

Ryou watches them go with reluctance. He really, truly wishes he could ask them to stay, or take him with them. He fears being alone in his apartment. Well, not alone. Ryou Bakura is never alone. The shadowy figure in the hall confirms this. A part of him wishes they could see, could understand, and could save him. An impossible dream.

"I don't like dealing with these things myself. You've put me in a complex position, but I think I've found a solution to our obedience problem. I'll make you want to lie, I'll give you a carrot, not just a stick." The shade of the spirit stepped into the light as the door clicked closed.

Ryou steeled himself for the worst, though he was shaking. If Bakura came at him again, he'd…he'd… He'd do nothing. He could do nothing. He was helpless, and he knew it.

Bakura moved forward, out of the hall, and Ryou tensed, taking an involuntary step back. Bakura touched Ryou's face, his own coming threateningly close to his paralysed Hikari. It was only for a brief moment, however. He moved on, into the sitting room. In the base of the couch was a slit, one Ryou'd never noticed before. From it, Bakura drew… a syringe. An unthreatening object, if not for the needle.

"Do you know what this is?" Bakura asked Ryou, his voice smoothed like silk.

"Where did you get that? When did you put it there?" Ryou asked, the image of his friends sitting on that very couch flashing jarringly through his mind.

"You aren't answering my question. You don't need to know where, or when. Suffice to say, recently. Now, Ryou, do you know what this is?" Bakura raised an eyebrow.

"No? is it… a poison?" Ryou asks tentatively, afraid to think of what such a poison might do. He didn't expect Bakura's reaction at all, though he should have. Bakura started laughing, a cold, mocking laugh.

"In its own way, I suppose it is. This is Heroin, Ryou. I suppose you know what heroin is."

Ryou nodded, confusion written on his features. Why would a bodiless spirit have a syringe full of Heroin? Unless… Ryou bolted for the door. He knew why.

His hand closed on the doorknob just as the fain prick pierced his skin. Then it was burning, burning, and it was spreading! It wouldn't stop, and even as Ryou's fingers loosed from the doorknob, the rush hit.

It was incredible, wonderful, all over his body pitched in ecstasy, and that was when Bakura was on him, doing just what he'd done before, but this time Ryou didn't resent it. Everything felt like some kind of paradise, from the cloth sliding over his skin as it was removed, to the violent and hurtful things that happened after. Even the whispered insults and curses flowed into his ears like liquid honey.

* * *

Later, Ryou sat in the corner of his room, his arms hugging his legs tightly to him. He still felt the high, it was lingering, but that didn't stop him from… wanting… more. He buried his face in his hands, and scratched at the crawling prickles across his pale skin. His spirit was on the bed, wearing only an overly large sweater, just like Ryou. It was a blue sweater, with their school logo on it. The inside was fuzzy, and it had always comforted him.

"Do you have more?" Ryou asked timidly.

"Yes, simply serve me, and you can have it whenever you want."

* * *

The sunlight slanted through the window of Ryou's bedroom. It wasn't that that woke him up, though it did hurt his head terribly. Someone was knocking on his door, and ringing the buzzer. Ryou was still on the floor, and he was still wearing just a sweater. He didn't really care, to be honest, but he had to play the part, or Bakura wouldn't, wouldn't… Ryou stopped himself. What was he thinking. He didn't, shouldn't want that, it was forced on him, to do what Bakura wanted, Ryou knew that, and yet, he was pulling on a pair of jeans. The sweater would be fine. He dragged himself to the door; he'd been awake most of the night.

Ryou peeked through the peephole. He saw the top of a red and black hair spike. Yugi, then. He opened the door, and put on a carefully arranged cheerful face. "Good morning!"

Yugi was smiling, until he took in Ryou's appearance. "Wow, have you slept at all?"

Ryou nodded. "A bit, right before the sun came up. I keep dreaming, about… you know."

Concern coloured Yugi's eyes. "I wish you had told us sooner, Ryou. We could have stopped this from ever happening to you. If you need a place to stay, the Game Shop has a spare bed for a friend, always."

Ryou smiled, and truly wished for a moment that he could tell Yugi everything, make it all go away. He would have if that wouldn't mean he'd have to stop… the need was on him again. He'd though of it, and something that had been content to pulse in the background leaped forward and caught him by the throat.

"Ryou, are you… ok?" Yugi asked.

"I'm fine. I should be at school tomorrow, I can't wait to get back to class. To take my mind off things, you know?" Ryou smiled warmly.

"I'll let you try to get some sleep. Don't worry, I won't let Joey take your notes. I want you to be able to read them, after all."

Yugi and Ryou laughed together for a moment, until the door closed. Ryou's face was immediately needy, hungry.

Bakura stood across the room, needle in hand. He tossed it to Ryou, who caught it like the whole world depended on it.

"Well done." The spirit said, as the warm pleasure spread up Ryou's arm. Stick, or carrot. Both were poison.

* * *

Yeaaaah, poor guy. remember, if you want more of the clicky-clicky, do more of the review... ey... thing that is not a word... and stuff. Love you all toodles!


	5. Chapter 5

I just want to say before we start that not all addicts act the way Ryou does. I'm not actually sure if any of them are quite this bad, I'm just going off research and adding embellishments, as I have never had any experience with hard drugs. Ryou does not handle drugs well, and I'm using creative licence freely here.

* * *

Ryou's first week back in school went well. He was overly friendly, making a point to sit with Yugi and the gang at lunch. Granted, he never ate much, but no-one really noticed. After what he'd been through, it was understandable that he would be a little more nervous, flinching if anyone approached him from behind, and scanning any room he entered nervously. He wore long shirts or sweaters more now, never a t-shirt like he used to, but again, it just made sense. Yes, his first week was all he could have hoped, and Ryou was "rewarded" accordingly. Then, the weekend came.

Ryou opened his eyes slowly. It was Saturday. He could just lay in bed, and stare at the ceiling. All day. How perfect. Only problem was, no Yugi and pals, no rewards for deceiving them. No rewards meant this day could go downhill very easily. Ryou sat up, agitated. On the one hand, he didn't really have to do anything today. On the other… he had to get it somehow. Rou slid out of bed and pulled a wrinkled pair of pants, and an equally dishevelled shirt of the floor. He'd worn it yesterday, and there was a stain, but he didn't care. He ambled into the kitchen, and just stared at the pans with a lost, vacant expression. He really should eat something.

"Wow. You do not handle narcotics well, do you, landlord?" A voice behind Ryou commented, from barely an inch away.

Ryou literally jumped, yelped, and turned simultaneously. Bakura was standing there, looking smug as always. Every hair on Ryou's body was standing straight on end. His eyes lit up with a kind of longing as soon as he calmed down, though.

"Eat something. Look at you, you really are worthless. I can cut myself off from your cravings, but you're no good to me half-starved. Make yourself some canned soup. If you eat it all, I'll give you what you want." Bakura leaned back against a wall, non-existent arms crossed, to watch his puppet dance. This was quite satisfying, why hadn't he done this before duellist kingdom? He would have won the puzzle then and there. As it was, all he had was a useless eye, and his ring.

Ryou turned the crank of the can-opener, and dumped the soup into a bowl. He'd left the top in the soup. Ryou put the bowl in the microwave, and pressed in two minutes. Just as he hit the start button, the door buzzer rang. Ryou frowned, and left the small kitchen to answer it. He peeped through the spy hole.

"Yugi…" He sighed. He didn't have time for this. He had to eat soup. Ryou opened the door, knowing full well that the soup wouldn't matter if he turned Yugi away.

"Hey, Ryou! How are… did you sleep in those?" Yugi asked, eyeing Ryou's clothes. He looked past Ryou, into the apartment that clearly hadn't been cleaned in a week. That was really not like Ryou; and what was that smell?

"Ryou, is something on fire?" Yugi asked, a panicked edge to his voice.

"I don't think so, Yugi. I suppose it might be the soup…" Ryou replies, not terribly concerned. He could get a new can.

The smoke was starting to billow visibly.

"Aren't you…. Going to get that?" Yugi ventures, not wanting to push by his friend into his apartment, but unable to ignore the darkening cloud.

Ryou shrugs and walks unhurriedly to the kitchen, where flames are dancing within the microwave. It seems he'd set it to twenty minutes, not two.

"Eep!" Yugi rushes past Ryou at the sight of the conflagration, stopping the microwave and grabbing a glass of water. He opens the microwave and pours the water on the smouldering soup. An alarm really should have gone off, it seemed the system was broken.

The microwave was a write-off. The inside was charred black, and much of the plastic had melted. Yugi took the blackened bowl out, and extracted the metal disc that had been the culprit. He looked at Ryou, who was watching, impassive.

"Are you ok, Ryou?" Yugi asked, seeing nothing but evidence that something was very, very wrong.

"Yes, of course, Yugi. I'm fine. I was just making soup. Would… would you like some?" Ryou smiles tentatively.

Yugi raises an eyebrow at the bowl of charcoal and water.

"Let him do it, Yugi. I want to see what he does." The dark voice in Yugi's mind instructs. So Yami's concerned about Ryou, too.

"Sure, I'd love some. Then I'll help you clean up. You've had a lot to deal with, why didn't you ask us for help at school?" Yugi prattled, sitting down at the tiny table in the kitchen, with a good view of Ryou's workspace.

Ryou pulled out two more cans, and opened them. Yugi couldn't help but notice a slight tremor to Ryou's hands. Ryou poured both cans in one pot. Normally fine, but one can was beef while the other was chicken noodle. Yugi took pity on him, and got up to help. What Ryou went through must have really messed him up. He'd seemed fine before he came home from the hospital, though. Being at home alone must not be good for him.

Yugi reached for the pot. "Here, let me…"

Ryou jerked the pot away, splashing some soup out.

"I can do it!" He snapped.

Yugi flinched back, stung. He couldn't help but wince as Ryou cranked the burner onto high, then put the pot on the wrong burner.

"Ryou, its, um, not on." Yugi comments tentatively.

"Yes, it is." Ryou says, shifting the pot by the handle, then letting his hand rest on a burner. The one that's on.

"Ryou!" Yugi shouts, glad that Ryou'd at least had the sense to remove his hand from the hot element immediately. The stove had still been heating, as well, so the burn was minor.

"Here, lets run it under some cold water." Yugi said soothingly. Ryou watched the water run over his reddened hand mutely, the cold causing his alabaster-pale skin to blotch with red.

"You can sit down with some ice, I'll finish the soup." Yugi said, guiding his friend to the couch.

"Actually, Yugi, I have to go to the loo." Ryou hastily locked himself in. He slid to the floor, covering his face in his hands.

"Please," He muttered to the empty air. "I can't ignore it, I haven't had it since last night, and that was…" Ryou checked his watch. "well, its three in the afternoon now, so, a long time. He already knows something's wrong, if Joey or Tristan get involved, I'm sure one of them could put two and two together, just please…"

'I can't do anything magic intensive with the puzzle in the house without risking discovery. There's some under the tile behind the toilet. Its prepared. Get it yourself.' Bakura said faintly in the deep recesses of their shared mind. His trap was not yet ready to spring. He couldn't be found out just yet. The drugs offered a perfect cover for any strange behaviour on Ryou's part, a secret to bury a deeper secret beneath.

Ryou scrabbled at the tile, tearing one fingernail before it came loose. The frantic need only settled as the needle slid into his arm. Then, everything was just perfect. It really didn't matter that Yugi was in the next room. It didn't matter that his clothes and hair were dirty, or that his normally spotless apartment looked like Joey had lived there for a week.

….

"I'm at Ryou's apartment. He's a mess, Joey. I'm really worried." Yugi said quietly into the phone as the soup simmered.

"Whatdaya mean? What's wrong?" Joe's voice asked.

"He blew up his microwave trying to make soup. I don't think he's washed his hair since Wednesday, when he came to school with it still wet. Joey, he's combined chicken noodle with beef soup! You just don't do that!"

"Calm down, Yug, He's been through a rough time. You don't just get over that kind of thing overnight."

"Its more than that, though, something doesn't feel right."

"Alright, see if he wants to do the movie night thing. You know, tonight, game shop, something really freaky?"

"Yeah, maybe he just has to get out of the house. He looks like he hasn't slept in days."

"See ya later, then, Yug."

"Bye, Joey."

Yugi hung up the phone. The soup was done, and Ryou was still in the bathroom.

"Hey, Ryou, are you ok?" Yugi called.

"I'm just fine, Yugi." Ryou said. He sounded… relaxed. Much better. Yugi would feel really stupid if Ryou'd just needed to poop or something. That didn't seem right, though.

"The soup's done." Yugi said, trying to keep the worry minimal.

"Lovely. I'll be right out then, shall I?" Ryou replied, sounding somewhat more British for the moment than usual.

"Um, yeah." Yugi poured the soup into two bowls.

There was another long pause, and Ryou still wasn't appearing. The soup was cooling. Yugi felt it would be rude to ask again, so he waited. And waited. Finally, the doorknob turned, and Ryou opened the door. In the fluorescent bathroom light, he looked truly sickly. Still, he seemed cheerful enough.

"Hey, want to come over later? We have a movie night to make up for." Yugi asked cautiously.

"Yeah, sounds like fun. Wouldn't miss it." Ryou said, sitting down and staring at the strange soup mixture vacantly.

Yugi ate the weird mixture without comment, and Ryou just… stared at it. His eyes were drooping a bit.

"Didn't you want any?" Yugi asks.

"Beg pardon? Oh, soup, right." Ryou lifts the spoon, dips it into the soup, and raises it to his lips. His burn looks painful, but Ryou doesn't seem to feel it. Yugi notices a nail on Ryou's hand freshly torn, blood beading at the line and just beginning to clot.

"What happened? You're hand…" Yugi grew more concerned with every passing moment. He had no idea what any of this meant, or what it might mean. In his world of games, puzzles, and healthy friendships, drugs had no place.

Ryou lifted his gaze from the soup, his pupils so tiny they almost didn't exist.

"Don't know. Caught it on something. Doesn't hurt anyway." Ryou forced himself to eat more soup. Then he lost focus, and simply looked at the pattern in the grain on the table.

"Come on, it's a little early, but lets go to the Game Shop anyway. Maybe the other will already be there!" Yugi says cheerfully, as he texts Joey under the table, demanding that he be at the Game Shop in no less than ten minutes. He didn't want to have to deal with this alone, having his best friend there would be a huge relief. Yami was no help.

"Ok, Yugi. Whatever you want." Ryou smiles, bemused.

"Yeah, ok. Lets go now…" Yugi all but pulled Ryou out the door.

* * *

See? Ryou + drugs = bad. No one will be asking about evil spirits, anyway… XD Taking bets on how long it takes Joey to figure out whats going on?


	6. Chapter 6

Ok, another chapter up. I'm not entirely sure where I'm going with this, but guess what helps me with good ideas? You guessed it, reviews. Make me like it, by telling me you like it. Or, if there's a direction you really think it should go, by all means lay it on me. Do we need a bit more BxR action? Do I clean Ryou up or keep him this way? Lets hear what you think! ^_^

* * *

**Chapter 6, yeah, thats right. **

**..**

**..**

Yugi opened the door of the Game Shop no more than fifteen minutes later, to find a concerned Joey already there. Yugi's grandfather was behind the counter, as usual.

"Hey, Yug. So what's up?" Joey asks, going straight to the point.

"Upstairs, please? My room?" Yugi says, barely slowing down. Ryou drifts along behind, paying no attention to anything.

"I'll bring up pudding later! Crazy kids." Yugi's grandfather said, shaking his head.

Upstairs, Yugi plops Ryou down on the bed. "Ok, Ryou, now tell Joey how you're fine."

Ryou blinks blearily at Joey. "I'm fine. Were we going to watch movies?" Ryou's eyes droop closed, and he zones out completely.

"Oh, crap. Ryou, man, hey, can you hear me?" Joey snaps his fingers in front of Ryou's face a few times.

"See what I mean? He keeps doing this…" Yugi commented from the background.

Ryou's face returns to full alert moments later. "Sorry, I haven't been sleeping enough, really, its nothing to worry about. After what happened… I've been finding it hard."

Yugi melts. "I know, Ryou, we just want to help you, I think getting out of your apartment might help, you know?"

Ryou nods, looking Joey and Yugi right in the eye.

Joey's eyes narrow. "Ryou, man, are you high?"

Fear flashes across Ryou's face for an instant, replaced immediately by a careful mask of confusion. "What do you mean? Like, drugs? I wouldn't…"

"Yugi, when did he start drooping like this?" Joey asked, not taking his eyes from Ryou.

"Um, after he went to the bathroom. I thought he seemed a lot better, before he started spacing out. You don't think he…"

"And before that?"

"Well, I told you, he blew up his microwave nuking a metal lid. For twenty minutes. He burnt his hand. He was edgy, a bit shaky…"

"That's enough. Ryou, what did you do in that bathroom?" Joey asks, looking into Ryou's ridiculously constricted eyes.

"I… peed, what does anyone do in a bathroom? Can we watch movies now?" Ryou's gaze shifted to the TV. The blank TV.

"Well, this explains why he's been so spaced out in first class all week. And here I'd thought he'd finally realised how boring algebra is. Quick second, Yugi, I'm calling Tristan." Joey stepped out of the room, phone in hand.

Yugi slid a dvd into the player, not really paying attention to what one it was, and pressed play.

…

"Yeah, Tristan, its me, hey, could you run over to Ryou's apartment? I want you to check his bathroom."

"For what?"

"Anything he might be hiding. Extra bottles of painkillers, bag of powder, anything." Joey's voice was grim.

"Oh, that kind of 'anything'. Why, you think he's on something?"

"Call it a hunch. Contact me if you get… 'anything'."

Joey moved back in, creepy music playing and an oblivious couple driving in a landscape of washed-out color on the screen. He sat down to watch with them, though he spent more time watching Ryou. They were halfway through, and Ryou was coming across as more himself. Himself recently, anyway.

Joey's phone rang, and he answered it quickly, leaving the room. Ryou followed him with his eyes, paranoia gripping him.

"Well? Find anything?" Joey really hoped the answer was no. Maybe Ryou was actually just tiered.

"Yeah, you could say that." Tristan sounded tense, anxious.

"That bad, huh? Pain meds from the hospital?"

"Worse. Joey, there's a loose tile, I only found it because there was blood on it. We're talking serious shit, man."

"What kind of serious?" Joey peeked into the room. Ryou was looking at him, and his face was truly frightening. Anyone who's seen a racoon backed into a corner knows that look. Fear, mixed with a good dose of 'taking you with me'. Still, something in him was asking for help.

"Needles, spoons, candles, and packets. Looks like Dope. Skag. Big H. And he's mainlining it."

Joey swore. "Yeah, that would explain it. Look, thanks for this. We're at the Game Shop, I'd appreciate the help. This could get ugly. "

"I'll be right there."

…

Yugi, Ryou, and Joey were playing a simple board game when Tristan got there. Yugi was winning.

Tristan leaned on the doorway. "Yugi, have you ever considered playing professional poker? You'd clean up!"

"You know, I never thought of that. They make a fortune playing games, don't they?" Yugi commented, hopping his piece forward.

"Makes Pegasus's prize money look like chump change." Joey said, throwing a dice toss, and ending up with snake eyes.

"Yugi, if we ever go to America, I'm taking you to Vegas." Tristan said. "You'd pay for our trip single-handed."

"I dunno, Tristan. A lot of drugs on that scene." Joey slid in smoothly, bringing them to the topic he really wanted to discuss.

"I think Yugi's safe there, Joey." Tristan said, looking at the shrimp in question. Yugi nodded, looking a bit confused.

Ryou was fiddling with his game piece, avoiding meeting anyone's eyes.

"I dunno, I've seen nice kids like Yugi fall into that shit. Take Ryou, for example." Joey crossed his arms, letting Ryou know the farce was over.

"Its easy enough, I understand. It seems like the only way you can cope, but man, you have friends. You don't need that."

"I don't know what you guys are talking about. I told you, I don't use that sort of… thing. Can we just finish the game?" Ryou frowned, rolling his dice.

"That so? Show me your arms, Ryou. You know what I mean." Joey slid the game board away.

"Guys, come on, Maybe you're wrong. Stop picking on him!" Yugi defended Ryou, facing his friends. Yugi had his back to Ryou, so he didn't see the look in the pale boy's eyes.

"Then he shouldn't mind letting us see his arms, to prove it." Joey remained resolute, Tristan beside him on this one.

Ryou shook his head stubbornly, his arms crossed loosely, almost hugging himself.

Joey leaned close to him, and spoke more gently. "Come on, we won't hate you, or abandon you. We want to help you through this."

Ryou looked up, and met Joey's warm, friendly eyes. Then he punched him in the face. Joey reacted before he could think, and in seconds Ryou was pinned to the floor, squirming and struggling.

"Ryou! Joey! Hey, stop fighting!" Yugi protested, having little or not effect.

Joey slid Ryou's sleeve down, feeling guilty, but knowing he might not have another chance. There was the evidence, a few red needle marks, altogether not bad. Ryou wasn't a long-term user, but he also wasn't careful about using any kind of sterilization, so the beginnings of infection were there.

"Game's over, Ryou. Tristan found your stuff at your house. We're going to get you through this. It may not look like it to you right now, but we're your friends, and we're doing this for you." Joey looked to Tristan.

"What did you do with it?"

Tristan shrugged. "Sold it. No, I'm kidding, don't look at me like that. I burned it."

Ryou screamed, thrashing. "You can't do this, you can't do this, get off me so I can kill you, no, get off so I can get Him to kill you, let go, let go!"

"Feisty, isn't he. Hard to believe this is Ryou, but that what this stuff does to people. It changes them, they'll do anything, and I mean anything, to get it after a while. He must have been on some quality stuff, probably with something else mixed in, if he's like this after such a short period of time…" Joey muttered, while still holding Ryou as still as he could manage.

"So who's this "He" that supposed to be killing us?" Tristan speculated.

Ryou opened his mouth to answer, even managed to start. "You know who He is, He's…"

Silence.

"You going somewhere with that?" Joey asked. Ryou had stopped struggling, too.

"No." Ryou replied.

"If I let you up, are you going to clock me again?" Joey asked.

"No." Ryou repeated, while inside he was screaming. Screaming, and unable to control his body. Looking out through eyes he couldn't move. 'I'll deal with you later. You are lucky he had you on your stomach, or they would have seen the Ring glow. ' Bakura said within his head, while standing up calmly. He had to bind the turbulent, writhing soul that shared his body tightly, or some of his madness would leak out in the form of sporadic control.

Hah. When you look mad compared to a five thousand year old psychopath, its time to quit. Bakura wasn't about to let Ryou just quit, however. If he continued to speak without thinking, something would have to be done. For now, the situation had to be diffused. Fast. The eye on the Millennium Puzzle seemed to be looking at him, as Bakura did his best to act like a junkie Ryou.

"Still want to kill me?" Joey pressed.

"Somewhat." Bakura replied truthfully. It really would be enjoyable, if only The Pharaoh didn't react so strongly to threats involving his posse. The trick was to make him not want to win. Perhaps taking out just one could serve some practical use. He'd think about it. The last thing he wanted to do was make a martyr.

"I'll take that as an improvement." Tristan commented.

"Why, Ryou? Why did you decide to… to… you know?" Yugi asked, feeling betrayed. Why hadn't Ryou told him, or talked about it?

"You know what that man did to me. I felt alone. Helpless. It made me feel like, maybe I wasn't worthless." Bakura lied smoothly. He enjoyed the awkward looks around him, as everyone in the room was forced to picture what they thought happened. They had no idea. The truth was much, much worse.

"Lets just get you clean, we'll go from there. Maybe therapy." Tristan said, trying to break the tension. Bakura almost laughed. Therapy. He wondered if he could get something confidential. It would be beyond amusing to let some Psychiatrist probe his soul. Behold, the void. He remembered the silly things Ryou had believed before he'd found out the truth. Split personality, schizophrenia, among other things.

Bakura grimaced, allowing a smidge of himself to leak into his disguise. He had to seem appropriately upset at the thought of loosing his precious drugs. It was ironic, the extent to which the chemical made his light like him. Bakura was addicted to power, wealth, and strove to get it. Needed it, needed to inflict suffering, needed to win. Ryou needed his Heroin in the same way.

Tristan went to get some of Ryou's clothes from his apartment. He wouldn't be going back there until they were sure he wasn't stashing anything. They would find nothing. The eye, all he really cared about, wasn't hidden in the apartment, but in the parking garage below, within a concrete block. The rest of the substance was easy enough for Bakura to procure, if he had to get it. It could be passed through the shadow realm, though the shadows may have changed its makeup.

Bakura was put up in the Mouto's small spare room slash TV room, on a pullout couch. They wouldn't resort to rehab unless absolutely necessary.

* * *

So, my muse needs food. She eats reviews, it makes her strong. Feed her!


End file.
